Chalk and Code

In this episode of Chalk and Code, host Theron Davis sits down with Dr. Victor Winter, professor of computer science at the University of Nebraska Omaha and founder of BrickLayer. Bricklayer is a nonprofit educational platform that teaches coding, math, and computational thinking through art—using virtual bricks inspired by LEGO and Minecraft.

From his early work at Sandia National Laboratories to building an education platform that blends creativity with computational rigor, Victor shares how his journey has been driven by a single question: How can we make programming more human, engaging, and fun? He unpacks how visual learning builds durable skills, why mistakes should be embraced as part of the process, and how AI will amplify—not replace—human creativity in the classroom.

If you’ve ever wondered how coding can become a medium for expression rather than just a technical skill, this conversation is a must-listen.

Key Moments

02:15 From National Labs to Academia

06:40 Why Traditional Coding Languages Don’t Align with Human Thinking

10:18 The Birth of Bricklayer: Coding as Art

15:25 Visual Learning as a Pathway into STEM

20:42 Students Doing “10x the Work” When Given Creative Freedom

26:30 Reducing Teacher Fear with Block-Based Programming

30:55 Why Motivation, Not Information, Is the Real Bottleneck in Education

37:12 How Public School Standards Slow Innovation

44:20 Reframing Mistakes as Learning Opportunities

51:05 Generative AI as the “Magic Wand” for Human Creativity

57:48 Preparing the Next Generation for an AI-Driven Future

Why You’ll Love This Episode

This episode challenges assumptions about what computer science education should look like.

You’ll hear how Dr. Victor Winter transforms coding into a creative medium that motivates students, develops spatial reasoning, and builds the confidence to learn from mistakes. Whether you’re an educator, parent, or technologist, his approach shows how art can be the gateway to STEM—and why coding needs to be reimagined for today’s learners.

Victor also shares:

• Why visual and spatial reasoning are key predictors of STEM success

• How Bricklayer lowers barriers for teachers while empowering students

• Why schools should view teachers as coaches and motivators, not just information providers

• How generative AI pushes humans to imagine bolder, more ambitious possibilities

Connect with Dr. Victor Winter

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victor-winter-44b99937 
• Website: https://bricklayer.org/ 

Resources Mentioned

• Bricklayer Etudes — Main
• Bricklayer Etudes Book I: Rectangles (1st Ed.) — Victor Winter
• “Composition A, 1923” by Piet Mondrian
  
  

Connect with Us

• Company’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/flexion-inc
• Company Website: https://flexion.us/

If this conversation sparked a new idea or challenged your assumptions, share this episode with a colleague and subscribe for more thoughtful discussions at the intersection of learning, leadership, and educational technology.

Join us next time on Chalk and Code, where the science of learning meets modern technology.

In this episode of Chalk and Code, host Theron Davis is joined by Benjamin Welbourn, CEO of Schola, a Phoenix-based edtech platform helping families find the schools that fit them best. What began as a startup helping parents navigate school options has evolved into a full ecosystem, streamlining enrollment, managing community programs, and even using AI to help schools build stronger relationships with families.

Ben shares his own experience as a learner who didn’t feel at home in traditional classrooms, and how that journey shaped his commitment to personalized, student-centered education. From hiking the Appalachian Trail to launching Virto Education and now leading Schola, his story is one of building bridges between students, systems, and meaningful outcomes.

This conversation explores how school choice, AI, community engagement, and human connection intersect and what it takes to make education feel less like a system and more like a fit.

Key Moments

03:47 Global College Pathway Expansion

08:24 Expanding Enrollment Through Extracurriculars

11:23 Improving School Enrollment Practices

14:28 Family School Engagement Strategy

20:13 Prioritizing Psychological Safety in Schools

22:08 Enrollment Challenges and Cycles

24:30 School Consolidation Necessity

28:57 "Real-Time School Engagement Insights"

32:55 Parent-School Connection Challenges

37:07 AI-Powered School Program Recommendations

39:31 Ed Tech Challenges and Growth

41:03 Esser Funds' Aftermath on Schools

47:31 Substance Over AI Hype

Why You’ll Love This Episode

You’ll hear how Benjamin and the team at Schola are flipping the script on traditional K–12 marketing by helping schools build trust, communicate value, and become hubs for their communities. If you're in education, product, policy, or just want to know how schools can thrive in an era of rapid change, this episode offers a playbook for putting families first and using data, tech, and empathy to make it happen.

You’ll walk away with:

• A fresh perspective on school choice and community engagement

• Real examples of how Schola helps schools attract and retain the right students

• Insights into how AI can amplify, not replace, human relationships in education

• Lessons on navigating today’s rapidly shifting education landscape with integrity

Connect with Benjamin Welbourn

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benwelbourn  
• Schola: https://home.schola.com/ 

Connect with Us

• Company’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/flexion-inc
• Company Website: https://flexion.us/

If this conversation sparked a new idea or challenged your assumptions, share this episode with a colleague and subscribe for more thoughtful discussions at the intersection of learning, leadership, and educational technology.

Join us next time on Chalk and Code, where the science of learning meets modern technology.

In this episode of Chalk and Code, host Theron Davis sits down with Dr. Joseph Guastalli-Atman, the philosopher-turned-founder behind Middle Tree, a nonprofit education center that’s redefining what supplemental learning can be.

Dr. Atman shares his journey from academia into mission-driven entrepreneurship, reflecting on how his studies in consciousness and sacred theology led him to launch an organization that prioritizes access, equity, and human-centered learning. Middle Tree’s approach flips the traditional model on its head: no appointment-based sessions, no rigid timelines, no financial barriers.

Instead, learners are invited to show up when they need help, stay as long as they like, and follow a personalized path, all built on the belief that time, autonomy, and relationships are central to real learning. This conversation moves from the philosophical to the practical, offering a candid look at education systems, edtech’s role, and what it really means to honor student potential.

Key Moments

03:56 Educational Initiative Origins

08:18 Middle Tree's Personalized Learning Model

16:15 "Revamping Education Pathways at Middle Tree"

22:36 Ease of Information: Critical Concerns

28:39 Metaphor, Knowledge, and Reality Misalignment

33:15 "System-Driven Education, Student Literacy Neglect"

36:01 "Universal Impact of Middle Tree"

42:40 Human Touch in AI-Driven Tutoring

47:26 "Middle Tree Mission Promotion"

49:12 Balancing Humanity and Technology

Why You’ll Love This Episode

This is a conversation that challenges the fundamentals of how we think about education.

Dr. Atman doesn’t just talk about reform, he lives it through Middle Tree’s radically accessible and deeply personal model. You’ll hear how a single act of letting a student stay “just a bit longer” sparked a decade-long reimagining of education, one rooted in dignity, autonomy, and experience.

Whether you're a school leader, edtech builder, or parent trying to navigate a complex system, this episode will offer you both philosophical depth and practical takeaways.

Connect with Dr. Joseph Guastalli-Atman

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joseph-guastalli-atman-3b25b7110 
• Middle Tree: https://middletree.org/ 

Connect with Us

• Company’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/flexion-inc
• Company Website: https://flexion.us/

If this conversation sparked a new idea or challenged your assumptions, share this episode with a colleague and subscribe for more thoughtful discussions at the intersection of learning, leadership, and educational technology.

Join us next time on Chalk and Code, where the science of learning meets modern technology.

In this episode of Chalk and Code, host Jill chats with Mariam Nusrat, the visionary founder of Breshna.io, a no-code platform revolutionizing how video games are built, shared, and used. Think Canva meets Candy Crush, but with a mission.

Before founding Breshna, Mariam spent 15 years at the World Bank as an education economist, advising countries on how to use tech for impact. Now, she's combining her global development background with game design to empower teachers, students, marketers, even dads in Senegal to build meaningful games in minutes.

From fundraising with grit to flipping classrooms with student-built games, Mariam shares hard-earned lessons and bold dreams for democratizing game creation around the world.

Key Moments

03:50 "Challenges of Fundraising as an Entrepreneur"

09:12 Reshna: No-Code Video Game Creation

11:59 Gaming as Marketing for CPG Brands

15:57 "Democratize Game Creation for Diversity"

17:39 "Launch, Learn, Iterate"

Why You’ll Love This Episode

This episode is packed with energy, purpose, and practical insight.

Mariam Nusrat breaks down what it really takes to make game creation accessible and meaningful for people with zero coding experience. Whether you're in edtech, marketing, or social impact, you’ll hear how Breshna is empowering people to become creators, not just consumers of powerful, story-driven games.

Mariam also shares:

• How no-code tools are changing the game (literally)

• What it means to tell your story through interactive design

• How to build in public and lead with authenticity

• The emotional and strategic rollercoaster of raising capital

• Why game-based storytelling is becoming essential across sectors

Connect with Mariam Nusrat

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariamnusrat 
• Breshna: https://breshna.io/ 

Connect with Us

• Company’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/flexion-inc
• Company Website: https://flexion.us/

If this conversation sparked a new idea or challenged your assumptions, share this episode with a colleague and subscribe for more thoughtful discussions at the intersection of learning, leadership, and educational technology.

Join us next time on Chalk and Code, where the science of learning meets modern technology.

In this episode of Chalk and Code, host Jill Foley dives into the world of immersive education with Cheryl Bayer, CEO of Living Popups, a cutting-edge company blending storytelling, augmented reality, and curriculum to engage students like never before.

From her background in Hollywood to co-founding an XR startup focused on K–12 education, Cheryl shares the fascinating journey of how entertainment, empathy, and emerging tech intersect in the classroom. She unpacks what it means to build "sticky" learning experiences, how AI can enhance not replace human interaction, and why giving students agency over their learning is the key to long-term success.

If you're curious about how AR/VR, gamification, and interactive characters are transforming how kids learn to read, write, and think, this conversation is a must-listen.

Key Moments

03:57 Childhood Dyslexia Challenges

08:48 "Revamping California Education Blueprint"

09:57 Impactful Literacy and Inclusivity Program

13:50 Dashboard Simplification in Various Fields

19:30 Engaging Education Through Historical Immersion

20:23 "Transformative Education Access Initiative"

24:19 Addressing Mental Health in Real-Time

27:05 App Design for Audience Engagement

32:48 Revamping Boring Audio Tours

34:05 Colosseum's Vibrant Past Unveiled

40:27 "Persistence in Business Leadership"

41:40 "Rediscovering the Lunch Break"

Why You’ll Love This Episode

This episode flips the script on how we think about engagement in education.

You’ll hear how Cheryl Bayer applies lessons from the entertainment industry to educational design—and why her team builds XR experiences that are not just cool, but cognitively meaningful. Whether you’re an educator, technologist, or parent navigating the noisy world of edtech, this episode offers clarity on what immersive learning should be and how to use AI and AR in ways that are human-first, not just high-tech.

Cheryl also shares:

• Why the future of literacy depends on interactivity

• How Living Popups balances curriculum standards with creative freedom

• What public-private collaboration looks like in XR development for schools

• The psychology behind “edutainment” that actually works

Connect with Cheryl Bayer

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cheryl-bayer-12b35b10
• Living Popups: https://www.livingpopups.com/

Connect with Us

• Company’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/flexion-inc
• Company Website: https://flexion.us/

If this conversation sparked a new idea or challenged your assumptions, share this episode with a colleague and subscribe for more thoughtful discussions at the intersection of learning, leadership, and educational technology.

Join us next time on Chalk and Code, where the science of learning meets modern technology.

In this episode of Chalk and Code, host Theron Davis welcomes Dr. Tim Wiens, a seasoned educator and President of the Academic Advisory Board at Classic Learning Test (CLT). With decades of experience in innovation in K–12 and higher education, Dr. Wiens shares how CLT is challenging the dominance of the SAT and ACT, not just with a different exam, but with an entirely different philosophy.

At the heart of CLT is a return to classical education: reading great texts, developing analytical thinking, and connecting knowledge with virtue. Tim discusses how this mission-driven assessment model is creating space for deeper, more meaningful learning, and how it could redefine college readiness, civic education, AI in education, and the role of digital learning tools.

If you’ve ever questioned what standardized testing is really measuring, or what it should be, this conversation will get you thinking.

Key Moments

05:44 Revisiting Education's Purpose

08:23 "CLT's 10th Anniversary Celebration"

10:44 Cultivating Truth, Beauty, and Goodness

16:46 Evolving Role of Student Assessments

19:58 Diverse Advisory Board's Strategic Role

22:47 Expanding Education Testing Options

25:12 Embracing AI in Education

29:17 "AI, Education, and Human Connection"

32:50 Deep Learning's Role in Civil Discourse

36:18 "Rethinking Relational Education"

Why You’ll Love This Episode

You’ll hear Dr. Wiens articulate a bold vision for returning assessments to their original purpose: to reflect what matters most in learning. He makes the case for integrating timeless principles like truth, beauty, and goodness into modern assessment, and explains why this approach might be exactly what today’s fragmented education system needs.

Expect insights on:

• The limits of “college-and-career ready” models

• The power of formative assessment rooted in deep thinking

• How CLT is serving both classical and public school systems

• What AI in education means for student learning, and why it can’t replace the human element

Connect with Dr. Tim Wiens

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timothy-wiens-587a316
• CLT: https://www.cltexam.com/

Connect with Us

• Company’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/flexion-inc
• Company Website: https://flexion.us/

If this conversation sparked a new idea or challenged your assumptions, share this episode with a colleague and subscribe for more thoughtful discussions at the intersection of learning, leadership, and educational technology.

Join us next time on Chalk and Code, where the science of learning meets modern technology.

In the premiere episode of Chalk and Code, host Theron Davis sits down with Doug Roberts, a former classroom teacher turned edtech entrepreneur, to explore the evolving relationship between public education and technology. As founder of the Institute for Education Innovation (IEI), Doug shares a candid look at what it takes to connect the dots between superintendents and tech innovators and why the current model of edtech sales is due for a radical rethink.

From his early career as a high school social studies teacher to pioneering one of the few platforms that brings district leaders and edtech startups together on equal footing, Doug unpacks the real-world challenges and surprising opportunities in K–12 innovation. Along the way, he reflects on his journey, the purpose behind IEI, and what the future holds for AI in education, digital learning tools, and district-level decision-making.

Key Moments

03:48 Career Journey in Edtech Sales
09:35 Embracing Educational Technology Startups
11:51 Creating Choice-Centric Networking Events
18:08 Fostering Leadership in Public Education
20:25 Enhancing EdTech Collaboration and Innovation
22:53 EdTech Summit's Startup Pitch Event
27:32 Efficacy vs. Practical Impact in EdTech
29:45 Edtech Gap and Funding Challenges
33:46 AI in Education: Balancing Concerns
37:15 "Superintendent Podcast Revival"

Why You’ll Love This Episode

If you're tired of the hype around educational technology and ready for a grounded, insider look at what actually works in K–12 innovation, this episode is for you.
Doug Roberts brings rare insight from both sides of the education-technology divide, as a former teacher and now a connector of district leaders and edtech startups. You’ll hear how he’s helping superintendents make smarter decisions, why the sales process in education needs a revolution, and how trust, not just tech, is the real game-changer.
Whether you're a school leader, entrepreneur, investor, or educator with an eye on the future, you’ll walk away with a fresh perspective on what it really takes to create impact—and why the best innovations often start with a simple conversation.

Connect with Doug Roberts
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dougrobertsiei
Website: www.instituteforedinnovation.com

Connect with Us
Company’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/flexion-inc
Company Website: https://flexion.us/

If this conversation sparked a new idea or challenged your assumptions, share this episode with a colleague and subscribe for more thoughtful discussions at the intersection of learning, leadership, and technology.
Join us next time on Chalk and Code, where the science of learning meets modern technology.